FARMING Minister George Eustice pledged to fight European carcase splitting rules when he opened NSA Sheep 2014 at Malvern.

He also gave a clear intention to secure tolerance on read rates of electronic ear tags and reiterated Defra’s promise to review the six-day standstill.

All three issues are high priorities for the National Sheep Association (NSA) and chief executive Phil Stocker said it was gratifying to hear real commitment from Mr Eustice.

He said: “I am sure the time he spent with our sheep farming office holders, trade exhibitors and visitors underlined how important it is that his commitments on these vital areas result in tangible progress in the near future.”

Other key concerns – including liver fluke, sheep scab and encouraging the next generation of producers – were all covered in seminars which were packed throughout the day.

The Big Debate drew the biggest crowd, where BBC Countryfile’s Tom Heap steered speakers and visitors through the thorny topic of balancing red meat supply with caring for the environment.

Mr Stocker said there was a more positive dialogue than in the past about achieving the optimum balance between farmers and conservation groups, particularly about stocking rates in the uplands.

He said: “It will never be easy to make this work in practice but, at a strategic level, there does seem to be a consensus that sheep do play an important role and that it would be helpful to recognise and reward a wider range of public goods in the uplands, rather than just focusing on environmental stewardship.” In the competitions Andrew Fisher, of Low Laithe, Harrogate, was second in both the Lustre and hill fleece classes. B&J Knowles, Selside, Cumbria, won the Mountain fleece class.

In the national lamb selection competition M Iveson, Bainbridge, Leyburn, was joint first. Alastair Graham, Thropton, Northumberland was equal third in the Young Shepherd of the Year competition for those aged 26 and under.

The Ready Steady Cook Invitational Challenge saw John Stephenson, secretary of the Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association, judged overall runner-up.